THE PRIZE CROSSWORD
There’s an amazing £1,500 prize for the first correct solution drawn at random in our general knowledge Prize Crossword. Today’s solution will appear on January 14 and the winner’s name on Sunday, January 28. SEE BELOW THE GRID for details on how to enter.
Across
11 To change, or cause to change, from a liquid or solid state to a vapour (9) 12 A rare copper mineral, noted for its deep green colour (9) 13 A characteristic feature or quality (5) 14 Alexander ---, Russian Romantic composer known for his opera Prince Igor (7) 15 Distant, unsympathetic or supercilious in manner (5) 16 An official document issued by a government, allowing an individual to travel abroad (8) 18 Having three corners or sides (10) 22 Sergei ---, Russian ballet impresario who founded the Ballets Russes (9) 24 Tropical insects which travel in a vast swarm, stripping large areas of vegetation (7) 27 The careful management of resources to avoid unnecessary expenditure (7) 28 Prickly shrub with pinkish-white flowers and edible fruits (9) 30 A party to which guests wear costumes and facial disguises (10) 32 Country in East Africa, the capital of which is Addis Ababa (8) 35 Archaic word for a fire in a room or a fireplace (5) 37 South Eastern US state, recently in the path of Hurricane Irma (7) 38 A chief port of Israel, situated on the slopes of Mount Carmel (5) 39 A long, slender, medical instrument containing a light and a camera (9) 40 A Christian rite, such as baptism, regarded as imparting divine grace (9)
Down
1 The secret state police in Nazi Germany (7) 2 Welsh-born actress of the 18th Century, famous for her portrayal of Shakespeare’s Lady Macbeth (5,7) 3 Joe ---, current captain of the England Test cricket team (4) 4 Person whose business is cutting men’s hair and shaving or trimming beards (6) 5 --- dish, a shallow, circular, flat-bottomed dish used in laboratories (5) 6 Civic head of one of the major Scottish cities (4,7) 7 A large oven for burning, drying or processing something, such as porcelain or bricks (4) 8 A Malaysian state located on the North West coast of Peninsular Malaysia (6) 9 An underground chamber in which a guided missile is kept ready for firing (4) 10 A region of woodland and heath in South West Hampshire, noted for its ponies (3,6) 17 A museum and art gallery in Madrid housing an important collection of Spanish paintings (5) 19 To improvise and deliver a speech or performance without preparation (2-3) 20 A short, non-narrative ballet with music by Frédéric Chopin, originally choreographed by Michel Fokine (3,9) 21 Swedish chemist and philanthropist who invented dynamite, after whom a set of annual prizes is named (6,5) 23 Georgette ---, 20th Century historical romance and detective fiction novelist (5) 25 Either of two long-bodied, short-legged breeds of dog, the Cardigan and the Pembroke (5) 26 The state capital of Iowa, USA (3,6) 29 A card game in which players amass points by collecting sets of cards (7) 31 A state of anxiety and apprehension (6) 33 A hypnotic state resembling sleep (6) 34 A small booth from which cigarettes, newspapers and refreshments are sold (5) 36 Andre ---, French author who was a friend of Oscar Wilde in the 1890s (4) 37 Michael ---, Leader of the Labour Party and Leader of the Opposition 1980-1983 (4) 38 A practical joke or deception (4)